Pumpkin Cupcakes ( flourless)

 These pumpkin cupcakes/muffins are outrageously good for a few reasons.

• They are flourless ( like a flourless chocolate cake which is decadent and creamy) 
• They are made with just a bowl and spoon
• They are easy and fast ( kids can make them) 
• They are rich and creamy , moist and delicious
• They are made from real food, so they are healthy too
• It's a nutritious Grab and Go after school snack

From start to finish you only need about 40 minutes, including the baking time. Do you like flourless chocolate cake? You will love this just as much ( even better) . The original recipe was for pumpkin brownies- ( so you could put them in an 8X8 pan) I just changed the shape by making into individual sized pumpkin cupcakes.

It is a perfect gluten/grain free recipe boasting all the fall flavors. The chunky almond butter ( you could probably use peanut butter) makes it a little crunchy while the pumpkin keeps it nice and moist and flavorful. Since it is flourless, you don't have to buy expensive gluten free flours to make this a gluten free cupcake.  These cupcakes are winners !!

I made my cupcakes with pureed pumpkin, but you could easily and successfully substitute any cooked and mashed orange fall vegetable ( butternut squash, cooked carrots, cooked sweet potato)

High in protein, vitamins, and good fat, these pumpkin treats are nutritious. Perfect for when the kids( or big kids)  get home from school.

Let's face it, the processed snack items that you buy in the store do not provide solid nutrition- and they do provide chemicals, loads of sugar , and unknown ingredients. As a teacher ( high school), I can tell you that the brain runs on fuel- If you want your kids to be able to focus, concentrate, and think- then give them good solid nutrition. It will pay off-

These individual (gluten free and grain free) little cakes smelled so good coming out of the oven, my husband and grand kids barely waited for them to cool off before diving in. 
They each gave the recipe a 10!!

You have to taste them to believe how good they are.

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 5- 10 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
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Ingredients:

• 1 cup chunky almond butter ( or peanut butter) 
• 1 cup of pureed pumpkin or butternut squash, mashed
• 1 egg (or egg repalcer,) beaten
• 1/3 cup of honey ( or more if you prefer it sweeter) 
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp of cinnamon ( or pumpkin pie spice- make your own) 
• 1 cup of raisins or 1/2 cup of coca nibs or chocolate chips
• optional: or if you really want to be bad, use semi sweet chocolate chips instead of raisins-( you know what we used )---chocolate and pumpkin? amazing 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Mix all of the ingredients together till smooth. ( I mixed it by hand with a large spoon) 
Pour batter into cupcakes tins ( makes 11) fill the 12th  3/4 full with water.
Bake for 25-30 minutes . Test with a toothpick. Cool and enjoy. 

I love the rich orange color of the pumpkin in the batter

                              

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including Gluten Free Homemaker and Allergy Free Wednesday and 
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Food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.- Judee 

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Spinach and Garlic Soup ( 1 PP on WW)

Spinach and garlic sauteed in a little olive oil has always been a match made in heaven for me.
Making it into a soup is brilliant and tastes divine.

Light, low calorie, and nutrient dense, this rich green soup can be whipped up in under 15 minutes and made in small quantities.

Whether you are following Dr. Fuhrman, Weight Watchers, Paleo, vegan, gluten free/grain free, this soup is a winner and will help you keep warm, healthy, and satisfied.

On cold fall nighst, I like to start every dinner with soup.
However, since this soup doesn't cook on the stove, it is also great for hot weather too since you won't be heating up the kitchen. Pin it right now so you will have it when you need it!! Pin It

This is how I came up with this soup. 
I had spinach and garlic sauté left over from last night's dinner. I simply took the leftovers ( spinach and garlic sauté) and added some vegetable broth, whizzed it in my Nutribullet ( which I love) till smooth and in seconds I had soup-  I heated the soup, dusted it with some nutmeg ( or you could use curry powder which has nutmeg , cloves, cinnamon etc) and licked the bowl clean. It was delicious.

You can make this soup for one 
No need to make an entire pot of soup if you are the only one eating it! Simply make the spinach and add the amount of broth you desire to the Nutribullet!

Another Way to Add More Healthy Greens to Your Diet-
We know we should be including more greens in our diet because of their amazing alkalizing health benefits. Greens contain the pigment chlorophyl which gets its energy from the sun and passes it on to us! Greens are important body detoxers ( body cleaners) as well.  It doesn't get much greener than this soup!

Ingredients: 
1 very large package of organic baby spinach ( most packages are pre-washed)
6-8 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and pressed
olive oil spray or olive oil
2 cups ( or more if desired) of vegetable broth
nutmeg or curry powder to taste
Optional: Himalayan salt to taste

I used a giant size container of organic baby spinach from BJ's ; it cooks way down

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Directions: 

Spray a large skillet with olive oil. Turn the burner on low and add pressed garlic to the skillet . Saute for a minute and then add the organic baby spinach and cover with the lid. Allow to the spinach to begin to wilt. Stir well and remove from stove.

Put sauteed mixture ( spinach and garlic) and vegetable broth into a Nutribullet or blender. Whizz until smooth. Pour soup into a saucepan to heat. Serve in bowls dusted with nutmeg.. ( serves 3-4)

Why I love my Nutribullet: 

• It is small, yet powerful 
• I make my smoothie and drink it from the same container ( no mess) and I can take the container in the car with me..
• I purchased it a year ago and use it everyday for a multitude of uses
• It can handle nuts and seeds
• It is convenient because of the its small size and ease of using
• I use this instead of my Vitamix  ( which I loved)  90% of the time
• It is a great value for the money $99 or less
• The large container goes right into the dishwasher
• It is small enough to take with me when I travel 
• Don't confuse the Nutribullet with the Magic Bullet. This is much more powerful

Vitamix or Nutribullet ?
I love them both. If you are wondering about purchasing a Vitamix or a Nutribullet.. you may want to check out the Nutribullet.. I[ve been thrilled with mine ...and it's so much less expensive. However, if you are a large family and need to make quantity- check out the Vitamix

.
May be shared on some of the following blog carnivals: Blog Carnivals & 
                                                                     Souper Sundays..

Disclaimer: I am not being paid by Nutribullet to promote their product.

Cider Glazed Butternut Squash

This Cider Glazed Butternut squash dish is an amazing recipe. It is made with only two ingredients and is very easy to make. 

I used butternut squash, but you could substitute sweet potatoes or any kind of winter squash.

It's as simple as 1-2-3. Just cube the vegetable and then roast or steam it.

Why I steamed my squash instead of roasting it

• When I am short on time, steaming vegetables is a faster method than roasting.
• I could have just as well have roasted the cubed squash by tossing the cubes in a little olive oil or aquafaba (see notes at end of post) and then roast them at 400 degrees for about 30  minutes. Steaming takes about 15 minutes.
• Steaming makes the squash softer and moister; Roasting makes the squash a little sweeter but firmer. Either way it is delicious; It's your choice!

I find that this recipe tastes like a candied yam.
It's a great way to serve any winter squash or sweet potatoes without any added table sugar.

If you are entertaining, this recipe really works for most guests because it is not only gluten free and vegan, but also allergy friendly.

• Gluten free/grain free
• Dairy free
• Egg free
• Nut free. 
• Low in calories and low in fat. 

Perfect For Fall Holidays
I like to serve this recipe for Thanksgiving or even Rosh Hashana

I actually made it for company tonight and there was not a morsel left over.

Ingredients: 
6 cups of cubed butternut squash (or yams or any winter squash)
1/2 cup spiced apple cider (Trader Joe's)
Optional: sprinkle with cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (link to DIY recipe)

Directions: 
Place steamer basket in a large pot with lid. Add cubed squash or yams. Steam for about 15 minutes until vegetable is soft. In a separate pan bring the apple cider to a boil. Allow the liquid to reduce until you have a thickened glaze. Remove vegetable and drizzle with the glaze. ( or I cooked my squash in the apple cider for the last 5 minutes. Serve in a flat Pyrex of other dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Raw and Ready to steam or roast

Notes:

1. Purchase pre-cut butternut squash to make this recipe even easier

2. Aquafaba is the liquid that is formed when cooking chickpeas or the liquid in a can of chickpeas. I use it instead of oil to roast vegetables (mostly to save calories). 

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Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for Amazon and receive a very small compensation when you buy anything from Amazon by clicking on to Amazon from my blog - This helps me defray the cost of my blog expenses. Thank you for your support.

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Inspirational Quotes

    One of my favorites of my boards on Pinterest is my inspirational quotes board. I love finding quotes and pinning them. I picked out a few of the many that I've collected to share with you.


                                



Do any of these quotes resonate with you?
Do you have a favorite quote.. leave it in the comments!

                 "Let Go or Be Dragged" 

In addition, I find tons of fabulous gluten, vegetarian, and vegan recipes that I've pinned from all over the Internet that look amazing. I also find lots of DIY's and garden ideas. Please visit my Pinterest boards. I would love if you followed me on Pinterest! 

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